Into The Future (LP)

Bad Brains

Amoeba Review

11/19/2012

After decades of underground notoriety (and manic cult adulation), DC's afro-punk originators are finally getting their due. A blazingly creative and searingly powerful band, with elements of funk and reggae alongside the hardcore, the Brains always played faster and trickier than anyone else, and in vocalist H.R., showcased the most ominously sneering frontman since Jello Biafra. (Perhaps their spastic energy and mighty chops can be traced to their '70s origins as a Mahavishnu-inspired jazz fusion combo called Mind Power.) In 2007, after years of dissolution, they started clawing their way back to the mainstream with their reunion album, Build A Nation, which was produced by the late Beastie Boy MCA (Adam Yauch). Now they're back with the aptly titled Into the Future, which finds them at the height of their powers, coughing up explosive chunks of hardcore and reggae like no one else can. The closing "MCA Dub" seems to be a tribute to a fallen friend. If you find a lot of modern music artificial and processed, there is no better way to clear out your ears and elevate your soul than with a corrosive brainwash from the original masters of DC punk!